Catholic Charities appeal reaches $9.7 million mark

by jmaloni

Press release

Fri, Apr 19th 2013 06:45 pm

$1
million needed by June 30 to achieve 2013 goal

Less
than one month after Appeal Week 2013 ended, volunteers for the
annual Appeal in support of Catholic Charities of Buffalo must raise
$1 million more to reach this year's $10.7 million campaign goal.
This week, the organization announced $9,738,391.31 has been raised
in cash and pledges, representing 91 percent of the goal. Appeal
officials said this is right on track with where the 2012 Appeal
stood at this time last year.

Appeal
Week 2013, held March 17-24, marked the strongest push for parish
donations to support the myriad programs Catholic Charities offers,
including behavioral health services, food pantries, basic relief
services, the refugee assistance program, and counseling for
individuals, children and families. The 2013 Appeal ends June 30.

Efforts
to increase support from lapsed and new donors will continue in
parishes, schools and the corporate community.

The
Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo,
thanked the community for its generous response to the Appeal and
asked for its continued support.

"We're
very happy to announce the great progress we've made and I want to
thank those who have contributed to this year's campaign so far,
particularly our new donors," Bishop Malone said. "However, we
still have a challenging road ahead of us to raise the $1 million
that's absolutely vital to maintaining the 70 programs and services
Catholic Charities offers 130,000 people in Western New York each
year. I urge lapsed and potential donors to contribute and assist the
most comprehensive human services provider in the region so it can
continue to protect, strengthen and empower so many in our
community."

Sister
Mary McCarrick, OSF, Catholic Charities diocesan director, pointed to
one of the 44 parishes that have already exceeded their 2012 Appeal
totals as a key driver of current progress.

"St.
Joseph-University Church in Buffalo, always one of our very
supportive parishes, has surpassed its 2012 total by nearly $29,000
and broke the $200,000 mark by contributing more than $204,000 so far
this year," McCarrick said. "We also recognize the growing
efforts of the parish's youth ministry. At their fifth annual
bowl-a-thon, parish youth raised $700. Credit certainly goes to an
active parish team led by Father Jacob (Jack) Ledwon, pastor, and
Appeal Chair Richard Baumann, as well as all of the pastoral staff
and other volunteers. With similar results like these in parishes
across our diocese, I'm confident our goal will soon be in sight."

St.
Joseph-University Parish Appeal Chair Richard Baumann affirmed that
the resources and tools provided by Catholic Charities continually
help to generate a successful campaign.

"First,
it is the people who donate that make this possible, because they
have always been very generous," Baumann said. "For the two weeks
before the start of Appeal Week, we collected donations in our
community room after every Mass and offered coffee and donuts. The
first week, Father Jack (Ledwon) and Dennis (Walczyk, Catholic
Charities CEO) did a special reading of the Gospel with an
elaboration that went over very well. People responded."

The
parish team also extensively used the Appeal banners, posters and
other materials Catholic Charities provided.

Stephen
Ulrich, 2013 Appeal chair, praised the efforts of Baumann and the 600
other Appeal volunteers who work to encourage donations throughout
the eight-county diocese.

"Our
progress so far is a testament to your diligence and dedication. As
we enter the last 10 weeks of our campaign, we ask for your continued
commitment as we make this final drive toward our critically
important goal," he said. "I implore everyone, Catholics and
non-Catholics, and our corporate community, to respond with a
contribution to Catholic Charities for the benefit of their
neighbors, friends, employees and local families."

Donations
to the 2013 Appeal will be gratefully received from all members of
the community through the Appeal's close on June 30.

Catholic
Charities empowers children, families and seniors to achieve
meaningful, healthy and productive lives. In all situations, it
delivers support to meet immediate needs and then assess for other
needs to ensure long-term success. It is the most comprehensive human
service provider, serving more than 130,000 people in all eight
counties of Western New York with 70 programs and 61 locations.

The
patron of Appeal 2013 is Blessed Frederic Ozanam, a layman who
co-founded the St. Vincent de Paul Society.